Top 10 Raffle Promotion Ideas
For a raffle organiser, often so much of their time & effort goes into collecting sponsors, prize donors and prizes that when it finally comes time to promote the raffle, they are ready for a rest.
Giving some forethought to your raffle promotion can be the difference between hitting the ground running and losing 2 weeks of sales while you get your promotional material ready to roll. It can mean lost sales opportunities.
We’ve compiled our top 10 raffle promotion ideas that will kick start your raffle sales pronto.
Direct Email
A well worded email to your membership/supporter base should be your first port of call when commencing your raffle promotion. After all these people have already shown their loyalty to your organisation.
Visit our blog 7 Top Tips to Write an Engaging Charity Email and download our email template while you’re there.
Ask your sponsors
Sponsors are looking for one main outcome when sponsoring your raffle – publicity. They expect that the kudos associated with supporting your raffle will translate into additional business. Provide them with shareable material in the form of an email or Facebook post about your raffle that they can easily share with their customers. They receive the accolade for assisting a local non-profit and you receive the sales.
Finding your Target Audience
We recommend a generic, high value, luxury goods or service as the ultimate raffle prize which will appeal to the widest audience possible. However, in the case where your prize may be niche and attract a specific audience, you need to consider how you will reach these interested people.
Making contact with businesses or clubs where the prize would be well regarded is your best bet. If your prize is musical oriented, then you may wish to align yourself with a music shop or musical event. Create shareable promo material such as an email or Facebook post and ask the business/club if they are willing to share your raffle with their database.
For face to face sales position your raffle promotion to reach out to your chosen audience. For example, if your prize would appeal to a soccer fan, then consider promoting your raffle outside the stadium before a match begins. If your charity’s cause appeals to animal lovers then position yourself at a dog park or entrance to a zoo.
Facebook Cover Picture
Temporarily replace your organisations Facebook cover picture with an image promoting the raffle. Update your “Call to Action” button to “shop now” or “book now” to direct people to where they can make a ticket purchase.
Facebook Event Page
Events are a perfect opportunity to sell raffle tickets to an already supportive audience.
You may already have an event page on your website, but establishing an event page on Facebook allows for easy sharing by interested people and you can include a link for pre-event raffle ticket purchases.
Promoting your event on Facebook to a selected audience that supports your cause will also be indirectly promoting your raffle. How do I promote an event on Facebook?
Decals
If you are selling raffle tickets at an outdoor event you can’t go past footpath decals to draw attention. Use them as footsteps to lead event goers from your entrance to your raffle table. Have them professional created or make your own buy laminated a poster cut out in an interesting shape to catch their eye.
Table talker
At a seated event, table talkers are a fabulous way of promoting your raffle prominently at the table. You can also consider printed placemats outlining the raffle prizes and how to purchase a ticket. For online ticket sales include a QR code allowing people to scan with their smart phone and visit the buying page in 2 easy clicks.
Roving ticket sellers
Take ticket sales out into the crowd at an event accompanied by a costumed chaperon to catch the eye. Ticket sellers could also wear a uniform or colourful shirt so that they are clearly identified in the crowd.
At a smaller seat event, you can offer those who buy a ticket a promotional wrist band or badge to wear so that they are not continually approached during the event. If you have visited a table to sell tickets, then leave behind a helium balloon as a marker.
Project Board
Whether you are selling tickets face to face or online, images help to grab the attention of potential ticket buyers and will increase your chances of converting sales. Consider a project board with prize images or photos/drawings of your fundraising goal such as a new piece of equipment or renovation. If you belong to a school then have the children draw pictures of what they think their new playground, air conditioned classroom or resource centre will look like for a personal touch.
Man a table
For face to face ticket sales, ask your local community club if you can man a table on one of their busier nights to sell tickets. Most club members are accustomed to raffle fundraisers and are generous in this relaxed atmosphere.
You could also arrange to man a table at your local market or shopping centre or at a community event in your area.
For more promotional ideas for schools, corporate business & charities visit the RaffleLink Blog and enter “promotion” in the search box.
RaffleLink provides free promotional material to it’s clients. Find out more about how the RaffleLink service could work for your next fundraiser.
Happy Promoting!
